Railway-signal.



No. 895,983. PATENTBD AUG. 11, 1908. H. A. DILLON. RAILWAY SIGNAL.

APPLIOATION FILED AUG.19, 1907. 5 SHEETSFSHEBT 1 xwu Ort DI Norg, wunloz,

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r/I'MWf4 '11.11A 1 1% y I A as@ No. 895,983. PATENTED AUG. l1, 1908.

H. A. DILLON.

RAILWAY SIGNAL.

PPLIGATIO FILED AUG.19 19o A N 7 sHEETs-SHBET 2.

Hoy-t A.Dillor 1.

PATENTBD AUG. ll, 1908.

H. A. DILLON. RAILWAY SIGNAL.' ,IAPPLIOATION FILED AUG.19,1907.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Nb .mm Wm n @n No. 995,999. PATENTBD A99. 11, 1908. H. A. DILLON.

RAILWAY SIGNAL.

.APPLICATION :FILED AUG. 19, 1907.

5 SHEETS-SHEET' 4.

No. 895,983. PATENTED AUG. ll, 1908.

H. A. DILLON. RAILWAY SIGNAL.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 191, 1907.

4 5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

A AAA LA WMU@ f-f JL I 'UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HOYT A. DILLON, OF COUNCIL BLUFFS, IOWA, ASSIGNOR OF FOUR-FIFTHS TO A. T. AUSTIN, OF OMAHA, NEBRASKA.

RAILWAY-SIGNAL.

No. 895,983. l

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 19, 1907.

Patented Aug. 11, 1908.

Serial No. 389,292.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HOYT A. DILLON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Council Bluffs, in the county of Pottawattamie and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway-Signals, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to railway signals, more particularly to automatic, electricallycontrolled block-signal systems, and it is the object thereof to provide a simple and economical system by which home signals may be automatically displayed at each end of any block occupied by a train or car, and distant signals at the remote ends of the adjoining blocks.

Further objects of my -invention are to provide a signal-actuating mechanism employing special slot-magnets operated directly from the track-circuits and not requiring relays in either track or motor circuits 3 and to provide other novel and useful constructions and arrangements of parts as will be more fully described hereinafter.

Constructions embodying my invention are shown in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 isa longitudinal sectional elevation of the signal-actuating mechanism, Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view of the same, the section being on the plane of the line :1c-' of Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a detail sectional elevation on the plane of the line y-y of Fig. 1, Fig. 4 is a detail elevation of the retaining latches, Fig. 5 is a detail end elevation of one of the slotmagnets and its accessories, Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the same, Fig. 7 is a plan view of the same, Fig. 8 is a diagram of the magnetic field thereof when the auxiliary armature is in contact with the magnet poles, Fig. 9 is a detail sectional elevation of one of the signalheads, Fig. 10 is a sectional plan view of the same, the section being on the plane of the line 2 2 of Fig. 9, Fig. 11 is a detail transverse section of the signal arm or blade, on the plane of the line o-o of Fig. 9, Fig. 12 is a detail showing the means of attaching the spectacle glasses, Fig. 13 is a diagram of the motor-circuits, Fig. 14 is a diagram of the track-circuits for a single block of track, and Fig. 15 is a diagram of the circuits for several adjoining blocks of track, showing the interlapping of the signals and the positions thereof when trains are in some of the blocks.

The signal-actuating mechanism is disposed within a casing 1 which is placed on a suitable foundation and supports a pipe column 2 adapted to carry at its upper end the signal heads and arms. The column pipe lits within a suitable socket in the upper part of the casing, the weight of the pipe being supported by the ring 3 which is shrunk on the pipe near its lower end. A set screw 4 may be employed to prevent any rotary displacement of the pipe.

The operating levers 5 are pivotally mounted on a shaft 6 held at one end of the casing near the bottom thereof, the levers turning freely on the shaft and being capable of independent movement. Segments 7 are formed integrally with each of said levers, the arrangement being such that one edge of each of the segments is approximately in alinement with the center of the column pipe 2. Each of said segments has connected thereto a short chain 8 which extends upwardly therefrom and connects with one of the column rods 9 which extend up through the column pipe to the signal-heads.

A Following approximate/:ly the arc of travel of the outer ends of the levers 5 and disposed between the same is the U-shaped bar 10 which serves as a guide for one side of the closed loop formed by the endless chain 11 which passes over sprockets 12 and 13 disposed, respectively, adjacent the lower and u per ends of the said arcuate guide-bar 10. T e guide-bar is connected to and supported by the bearings 14 and 15 of the sprockets, as shown in Fig. 1. The chain is driven by means of the electric motor 19, the armature shaft of which carries a pinion 18 engaging the gear wheel 17 carried on the shaft 16 of the sprocket 12.

At an intermediate position on the levers 5 are laterally extending lugs 20 to which are pivotally connected the buffer-piston rods 21, each of the said rods having a T-head thereon under one end of which is a small coil spring 22 and in the other end an adjusting screw 23. The said springs 22 and the pivotal connections of the rods to the lugs 2() permit the slight lateral movement of the pistons which is necessary in entering the buffer cylinders 24 which are fixedly connect- When the levers 5 are in their lower or nored with the side of the casing 1, as shown. Vhen the levers are in the lower or normal position the pistons and cylinders are entirely disconnected, as shown by the rearward lever in Fig. 1, but as the levers approach the elevated position shown by the front lever in Fig. 1 the pistons enter the expanded mouths of the cylinders and, confining the air therein, cushion the movement so that the lever' comes `to rest gradually and without jar or concussion.

At the outer end of each of the operating levers is a laterally extending lug 25 which carries the slot-magnet coils 26. A plate 27 of non-magnetic material has upwardly extending lugs thereon at one side thereof, said lugs extending between the overhanging lugs 28 on the lever 5 and being pivotally connected therewith by the pin 29. Connected with the outer edge of the said plate 27 are the auxiliary-armature plates 30, of magnetic material, said plates being held over the poles of the slot-magnet 26. A small springactuated plunger 50 engages the plate 27 as shown in Fig. 5 to hold the plates 30 slightly above the poles of the slot-magnet when the same is not energized. The contiguous edges of the plates are beveled to a sharp edge and an air-gap left between the same, as shown in Figs. 6 and 8, for the purpose hereinafter set forth. Normally lying just above the plates 30 is the main armature 31, a narrowed portion of which extends between the lugs of the plate 27 and be ond the same is formed into the bar 32 whic lies adjacent the overhanging lugs 23 on the inner side of the lever 5. The pin 29 passes through the narrowed portion of the armature, said pin pivotally connecting both the auxiliary armature and the main armature between the lugs 2S, so that independent movement of the armatures is permitted. The bar 32 at the inner end of the main armature is engageable by the laterally extending rollers 33 carried on the chain 11.

mal position the said bars 32 are also engageable by the gravity actuated latches 34 which are pivotally mounted on the casing 1 at the position shown, the detailed form and relative position thereof being illustrated in Fig. 4. When the slot-magnet is not energized the armature 31 may be tilted upwardly as shown in Fig. 5, thus permitting the bar 32 to release from the latches 34 engaging the same and to pass the rollers 33 on the chain.

On the lower side of the lug 25 is secured a bar 35 of insulating materiall to which on the sides thereof at its rearward end are secured the terminal plates 36. To said terminal plates the contact springs 37 are pivotally connected and extend upwardly therefrom,

vthe end thereof being curved inwardly toward each other, and the intermediate portions thereof being connected by the bar 3S of insulating material which extends rearwardly therefrom. To one of the auxiliary armature plates 30 is secured the bar 39, of insulating material, which carries near its enda wedge-shaped contact piece 40, adapted to engage the Contact springs 37 and electrically connect the same when the plates 30 are held down onto the poles of the slotmagnet. The said contact springs 37 are connected in multiple in the motor circuit, as indicated in diagram in Fig. 13. Now, on account of the pivotal connection of the contact springs 37 with the terminal plates 36, said Contact springs may be tilted to a position such as shown in Fig. 6, at which the contact pieces 4() cannot engage therewith. Thus the motor-circuit may be broken in two ways, namely, either by upward movement of the auxiliary armature or by movement of the contact springs 37 to the position shown in Fig. 6 from the position shown by dotted lines in the same ligure.

When the operating levers are in the raised or released position shown by one of the levers in Figs. 1 and 3, the insulating bars 38 are engaged by pins 41 carried by the cross-bar 42, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, and the contact springs 37 moved thereby to the relative position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 6 at which the same may be engaged and electrically connected by the Contact pieces 40 and the motor-circuit closed thereby. Thus, when either of the levers is in released position and the slot-magnet thereof is energized, the motor-circuit is closed by movement of the auxiliary armature toward the poles of the magnet. The chain 11 being driven by the motor in. the direction indicated by arrows in Figfl, the bar 32 carried by the main armature of the slot-magnet is engaged by one of the rollers 33 on the chain and the lever is driven thereby to the lower or normal position where the bar 32 is engaged by one of the latches 34 to retain the lever in'said position. Now at the end of the downward movement of the lever the insulating bar 38 is engaged by one of the fingers 43, which are carried by the bearing 14, and the contact springs 37 are turned thereby to the position shown in Fig. 6, thus breaking the motor-circuit and stopping movement of the chain. In order to permit continued movement of the chain should the other operating lever be in raised position and the motor circuit closed through the contact springs carried thereby, the arcuate guide bar 10 is disposed slightly eccentrically to the lever-fulcrum shaft 6 so that the rollers 33 run off the inner ends of and disengage from the bars 32 just after the same have been engaged by the latches 34.

At suitable positions adjacent the upper end of the pipe column 2'the signal-head casings 44 are secured thereto. The said casings each comprise a rectangular box providedwith flanges fitting around the pipe column, a rectangular opening being made in the side of the pipe through which the side plates of the casing extend, as shown in Figs. 9 and 10. The casing is secured to the pipe by screws 45 passing through the upper and lower flanges thereof. A small langed pulley 46 is mounted between the said sides of the casing which extend into the pipe, and over said pulley passes a chain 47 one end of which is connected to one of the column rods 9. The other end of said chain is connected with a crank 48 carried on the shaft 49 which is j ournaled in the bearing 54 integral with the casing 44, as shown, and carries at its outer end the counterweighted signal arm. The general form of the signal arm is as usual in signals of this type, the spectacle frame 51 forming the counterweight for the blade 52 which, when the shaft 49 is free to turn, is held by the counterweight in the horizontal position shown in Fig. 9.

To prevent lodgment of ice, sleet or the like around the shaft-bearing, the cup or shield 53 is provided, the same being cast integral with the spectacle frame and extending over the bearing 54, as shown in Fig. 10. To prevent as far as possible the lodgment of snow and the like around the spectacle openings, said openings are chamfered or beveled around the rearward edges thereof, as indicated. rlhe spectacle glasses 55 are each secured to the frame by means of the two overhanging lugs 56 cast integrally with the frame, and the block 57 which is secured to the frame by a single screw 58 and held in position by small lugs 59 cast on the frame. The blade 52 its within a recess in the frame and is secured therein by a single bolt 60, as shown.

The position of the signal blade 52 shown in dotted lines in Fig. 9, is the normal or clear position and corresponds to the normal position of the operating levers shown by the rearward levers in Figs, 1 and 3 and both levers in Fig. 2, this position being maintained so long as the slot-magnets controlling the respective levers are energized and capable of maintaining the armatures 31 in such position that the bars 32 cannot disengage from the latches 34. Vhen the slotmagnets are denergized the armatures 31 are released and the counterweights of the signal arms, acting through the chains 8 and 47 and the column rods 9, pull the levers to the raised position shown by the front lever in Fig. 1, the signal blade simultaneously moving to the horizontal or danger position shown in Fig. 9.

The power of the motor, proportionately to the resistance of the moving parts and the period of the operation at which the motorcir cuit is broken, is preferably such that movement of the chain 11 ceases when the rollers 33 are in about the position shown in Fig. 1. However, after any action of the motor to move one of the operating levers to the lower or normal position, should the momentum of the motor and its connections acquired during such movement be sufficient to carry one of the rollers 33 to a position such that the bar 32 will engage the same when the lever passes to the raised position, so that the armature'31 is held by the roller in a raised position, as shown in Fig. 5, and cannot be pulled down when the magnet is energized, then the auxiliary armature only is actuated by the energizing of the slot-magnet. The movement of the auxiliary armature, closing the motor-circuit as before described, causes the chain to be actuated, thus moving the roller 33, releasing the armature and permitting it to be drawn down toward the magnet poles so that when the roller next engages the bar 32 the operating lever will be actuated thereby. Under ordinary and normal conditions the armature 31 and the auxiliary armature formed by the plates 30 are both drawn toward the poles of the slot-magnet, and both released, at the same time, the two armatures being constantly in contact with each other and operating as a single armature. To permit independent movement of -the armatures, as required by the conditions above described, and yet not weaken the holding power of the magnet on the main armature 31, the auxiliary armature is made with the air-gap between the contiguous edges of the plates 30. When the main armature is held by one of the rollers 33 in the raised position shown in Fig. 5, and the magnet is energized, the auxiliary armature is attracted thereto, the reluctance of the magnetic circuit being reduced by the elimination of the air-gaps between the poles of the magnet and the plates 30, but the reluctance still being comparatively high on account of the air-ga between the .plates 30 wherein a magnetic held is formed as indicated in Fig. 8. Now when the main armature is released, by movement of the roller 33 past the same, it will be drawn downfon top of the auxiliary armature, closing the air-gap in the magnetic circuit and, on account of its reluctance being far less than that of the said air-gap, it will receive the entire magnetic lux and be held as securely as though the auxiliary armature were not included in the magnetic circuit.

Referring to Fig. 14, A, B and C represent blocks or sections of railway track in each of which the rails are bonded or electrically connected with each other, and each block is insulated from the adjoining blocks. In said Fig. 14 the electrical connections are shown for the block B only, the slot-magnets of the home signals being indicated at 26a and the slot-magnets ofthe distant signals at 26h. A battery or other electrical generator X is circuits are connected in series one of the rails of the block B, the slot-magnet controlling the operation of the home-signal at the west end of block B, and the slot-magnet controlling the operation of the distant signal at the east end of block C. In the other circuit are connected in series the slot-magnet controlling the home signal at the east end of block B, the slot-magnet controlling'the distant signal at the west end of block A, and the other rail of the track in block B. The presence at any place in block B of a train or car or any object capable of electrically connecting the rails, causes all the slot-magnets to be short-circuited, the current from the generator X passing through the low-resistance circuit made by the wheels of the train, thus denergizing the slot-magnets and releasing the respective signals controlled thereby, which are moved to the danger position by the counterweights thereof, as before described. Should'either or both of the rails in the block be broken, as by displacement of the track through landslides, washouts or the like, the circuits made through said rails will be broken, the respective slot-magnets denergized, and the signals set to danger as before.

In Fig. 15 is shown the complete wiring or track-circuits for several adjoining blocks A, B, C and D, and trains, represented by the wheels Q, are shown in the blocks A and D, the signals being shown in the respective positions assumed thereby when trains are in said blocks. Thus the train in block D sets to danger position the home signals at each end of the said block and the distant signal at the west end of block C. The train in block A sets to danger position the home signals at each end of said block and the distant signal at the east end of block B. From said Fig. 15 it will be apparent that, irrespective lof the direction of movement of the trains in arrangement of the operating mechanism in the casing 1 relatively to the column pipe 2,

Vser-ess any dripping of water from condensation of moisture within the column will not fall onto and cause derangement of any of the more delicate or sensitive parts of the mechanism.

Now, having described my invention, what l claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a 4railway block-signal system, the combination with an electrical generator, of two balanced circuits connected in multiple with said generator, each of said circuits passing through electromagnets controlling the operation of signals, each of said circuits also passing through one of the rails of a block of railway track, and the railsv of said block of track `being connected to opposite' poles of the generator, whereby any electrical connection between said rails will short-circuit the electromagnets in both of said balanced circuits.

2. In a railway block-signal system, the combination with an electrical generator, of two balanced electrical circuits connected in multiple with said generator, each of said circuits passing through one of the rails of a block of railway track, the rails of said block being connected to opposite poles of the generator, and each of said balanced circuits passing through an electromagnet controlling the operation of a signal adjacent one end of the block and an electromagnet controlling the operation of a signal disposed beyond the opposite end of the track.

3. In a railway signal mechanism, a signal, an operating lever connected therewith, a motor, means for connecting said motor and operating lever, a slot-magnet controlling said connecting means, and a means for closing the motor circuit, the said slot-magnet solely controlling said means for closing the motor circuit.

4. In a railway signal mechanism, a signal, an operating lever connected therewith, a motor, a slot-magnet carried by the operating lever, an armature controlled by said slotmagnet, means carried by said armature for closing the motor-circuit, means controlled by said slot-magnet for releasably connecting the operating lever .and the motor, and a latch for engaging said releasable means to retain the signal in clear position.

5. In a railway signal mechanism, a signal, an operating lever connected therewith, motor-driven actuating mechanism for moving the operating lever from danger to clear position, means for retaining the operating lever at clear position, a motor circuit, means for connecting the operating lever andthe actuating mechanism, and a slotmagnet, said slot magnet controlling the release ofthe means for retaining the operating lever at clear position, the means for connecting the operating lever and actuating mechanism, and the motor circuit.

6. In a railway signal mechanism, a signal,

an operating lever Connected therewith, a motor, an endless chain actuatable thereby,

an arcuate guide bar for guiding a portion of the chain adjacent the arc of travel of the end of the operating lever, a tracl-circuit, and means controlled directly by the trackcircuit for releasably connecting the operat ing lever and the chain.

7. In a railway signal mechanism, a signal, an operating lever connected therewith, a motor, an endless chain actuatable thereby, an arcuate guide bar for guiding a portion of the chain adjacent the arc or" travel ofthe end of the operating lever, and means for releasably connecting the chain and lever.

8. ln an electrically-controlled signal-actuating mechanism, an operating lever, means connecting the same with a signa a slot-magnet carried by said lever, an armature controlled by said slot-magnet, an electrical motor, means actuatable by said motor and moving adjacent the arc of travel of the slot-magnet armature, said armature being engageable by said actuating means and the lever being movable thereby when the armature is held by the slot-magnet, an auxiliary armature controlled by the slot-magnet for closing the motor circuit, and means for breaking the motor circuit w-ithout movement of the auxiliary armature when the lever has been moved a predetermined distance by the actuating means.

9. In a railway signal mechanism, a signal, an o erating lever connected therewith, motor riven actuating means for moving the lever from danger to clear position, a motorcircuit, a slot-magnet carried by the o erating lever, a track-circuit controlling sai slotmagnet, an auxiliary armature having an airgap therein and controlled by said slot-magnet, said auxiliary armature controlling the motor-circuit, a main armature also controlled by said slot-magnet, and means controlled by said main armature for-releasably connecting the operating lever and the actuating means.

10. In a railway signal mechanism, a signal, an operating lever connected therewith, a motor, means driven by said motor for actuating the operating lever, a slot-magnet controlling means for releasably connecting the operating lever and the actuating means, a motor-circuit, pivotally mounted contact springs connected in said motor circuit, means controlled by the slot-ma net for connecting said contact springs to c ose the motor-circuit, and means for tilting the contact springs upon the pivot thereof to break the motor-circuit after the operating lever has been moved a predetermined distance by the actuating means.

11. In a railway signal actuating mechanism, an operating lever, a motor, means driven by said motor for actuating the operating lever, an electromagnet controlling means for connecting said actuating means and the operating lever, a motor circuit, movable contacts connected in said motorcircuit, means controlled by the said electromagnet for connecting the movable contacts to close the motor-circuit, means disposed adjacent one of the limits of movement of the operating lever for moving said contacts away from the magnet-controlled means for connecting the same, and means disposed adjacent the other limit of movement of the operating lever for moving said contacts into position to be engaged by said magnet-controlled connecting means.

In testimony whereof l have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

HOYT A. DILLON. Witnesses A. A. MOCLURE, F. ANDREASEN. 

